Statewide testimony given on ID bill

Lucretia Cardenas

Published
7:00 pm CDT, Tuesday, April 7, 2009

AUSTIN - On a day when Montgomery County residents converged on the state Capitol, a much-debated voter ID bill took center stage in the House Elections Committee and on the Capitol lawn with a rally in support of the bill.

Senate Bill 362, passed by the Senate two weeks ago, would require Texas voters to present a photo ID or two non-photo ID alternatives - such as a marriage license and a utility bill - before being allowed to cast a regular ballot.

Several Montgomery County residents, in Austin Tuesday as part of local chambers’ Montgomery County Day at the Capitol, attended the committee public hearing, which was packed. They also participated in the rally.

All five state legislators representing parts of the county support the voter ID requirement. Many local residents in Austin Tuesday also think the measure is necessary.

“The Voter ID bill has to be passed,” said Bentwater resident Al Franklin, who stood with the rallying group Tuesday morning. “There are so many instances of dead people voting and people who are not residents of the state and illegals voting. I forget the numbers, but it’s happening.”

“We have to show IDs for everything else we do,” Hanover said. “Why not voting?”

Roy and Ruby Morton, of Conroe, also agree and say the bill is one of the most important issues facing the Legislature this session.

Republicans - who control both houses of the state Legislature and all statewide elective offices - say the new ID rules are needed to protect against voter fraud.

Democrats complain that the GOP wants to suppress Democratic turnout by erecting hurdles that disproportionately affects their base vote.

During the Elections Committee hearing Tuesday afternoon, a Texas attorney, who used to work in the Elections Department of the Secretary of State’s Office, testified that the language of the bill approved by the Senate will discourage voters from coming to the polls. Instead, Randle “Buck” Wood suggested voters should be encouraged to come to the polls; and if the person does not have the correct identification, the voter should be required to complete a special provisional ballot.

He also testified that in his 40 years of trying cases involving voter fraud, he’s never come across someone trying to impersonate a voter. The only fraud he’s seen is organized and involves using ballots by mail. Wood said in some local communities, people are hired to steal mailed ballots or tell a mail ballot recipient how to vote.

But his argument didn’t appear to convince members of the committee that SB 362 isn’t needed.

Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, said the bill clearly explains to voters what they need to be eligible to vote and should encourage voting, not discourage it. He pointed out that the state of Georgia saw its largest voter turnout in history when such a law was enacted. While the bill does not address ballots by mail, it will address any voter impersonation, if it is occurring.

A year ago, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Indiana’s voter ID law, considered the strictest in the nation. Several voter ID bills are pending in state legislatures holding sessions this year, including Texas.

Rep. Dwayne Bohac, R-Houston, said the measure should make voting easier.

He suggested the bill could require mobile efforts to distribute photo identification cards to people who don’t already have them - maybe even make the cards free.

Another witness, testifying in support of the bill, said a University of Texas study shows approximately 70 percent of Texans support voter identification, adding that passing such a measure will only increase voter confidence.

However, a representative for the Texas Young Democrats testified that the bill “disenfranchises students” because it would not allow college students to vote in the place where they reside for school if their driver’s license lists their family’s home address.

Rep. Todd Smith, R-Euless, Elections Committee chairman, said he does not think this will be an issue because students attending public universities should be able to use their photo identification cards issued by the schools.

The Senate version of the bill would take effect ahead of the 2010 statewide and legislative elections, after which state lawmakers will redraw the boundaries for their own districts and those for Texas members of the U.S. Congress.

There was no vote in the House Ethics Committee by press time Tuesday.